'The 3 mistakes of my life' is a good food for the youngsters. The story-twist is brilliant, yet it is on the lighter note. Chetan Bhagat has carved his niche among the youths and he has his fan following. I too am no less a fan than anyone.

CHETAN BHAGAT’S latest book ’The 3 Mistakes of My Life’ is now in the market. This is once again a piece of crumbled bread for the youngsters. Truly as he writes for the youth, this story is mixed up with some serious incidences, which provoke Govind to kill himself.

The style and presentation of the book almost remains the same as it was for ’Five Points someone’ and ’One night @ call center’. The plot of the story is based on the familiar ground of Gujarat where people love to be in the business and respect business than any other place in India does. No doubt his protagonist is an educated freak, who knowingly wants to land himself in business. The story woven around Govind’s life is quite simple and is in the Indian setting, where in spite of the protocol we tend to mix anything and everything into our lives.
Govind’s two friends are Ishaan and Omi. Ishaan is talented and well aware of his abilities he never tries to negotiate with the kind of stuff he does not believe in. And that is how he quits army and comes back home. This ex-cricketer of Ahmadabad, had represented the district a number of times in cricket matches, yet he failed to make it big. That’s where his dream gets shattered and he turns weird to his family and to the outside world too. The habitual defects of being glued to the TV, whenever India played Cricket is the recall of his nostalgia towards the game and he can not do away with that.
Omi is a simple fellow who is neither headstrong nor intelligent like Govind and Ishaan. He does believe that he is not at par with his friends but still, his dedication towards his friends makes him inseparable part of the trio. Omi belongs to a pundit family who are the temple priest in the City. Omi, hates being a priest and wants to break the tradition of being priest in the temple, what his forefathers have been doing for long. For him, agreeing to the business proposal of Govind is the inner drive to get away from the family tradition. However, for Ishaan, the business was more of being away from the sight of his father and console his mind and being attached to cricket too.
Life begins on the small note. Guys get down to the basic and work really hard. They open a Cricket shop in the temple campus. Quite odd place to start with, but that is the place from where their innovation teaches them to be good marketing guys. They show brilliant appetite for the business and make it to a level where they can dream big. Little difficulties in the business where they lose money, help them bond closer to each other and resurrect the business with even better vigour. All three of them have their dream in life to fulfill. Govind is vocal about it whereas Ishaan and Omi hardly speak their mind in public.
Quite common, business interest get mixed with personal interest and there starts the problem. Outside factors is another thing one always has to battle in any business. The love affair of Govind with Vidya, Ishaan’s sister, is one thing that is indigestible in Indian settings. It’s considered as breach of trust and exploitation. By most Indians, it is not the understanding of two minds, which can come to a conclusion to decide about each other. Omi rightly says, there is something called protocol, which Govind has violated. Govind has agreed to teach mathematics to Vidya, instead could not control the chemistry between themselves. That’s where he messes up.
Ishaan wants to fulfill his dream of being in the Indian cricket team through his new discovery boy “Ali” and he has dedicated his life and money for the cause of Ali. Godhra rights put them all into the real challenge of life where Govind and Ishaan lose their loved friend Omi, but could guarantee the life of Ali, which was the major challenge at the time of crisis. Govind’s love affair gets disclosed and it is devastating. Nothing can bring Ishaan and Govind closer again rather drive Vidya away from Ahmedabad.
Looks like bollywood movie script. The three mistakes, what are sighted are naturally the common mistakes any one commits, yet there is a message. Only if some of the protocols we follow and become little disciplined, we can tame our life better. But most of us forget that. We Indians are driven by emotions and not by practical thought, even in business.
Altogether the narrative has been very juicy and content suited the choice of youngsters. But even for the older guys like me, it just looks like the story of gone days. You will enjoy reading the book if you have not set high expectation from the writer. Apart from this, Chetan Bhagat have always been famous amongst youth. This book, though not much different from the other two, provides stuff to keep his fan following intact.